Casing-perforating device



Oct. 4 1

927 T. H. DARLING CASING PERFORATING DEVICE I '(lIla-IIIILI structure can PATENT OFFICE THEODORE H. DARLING, LONGIBEAGH, CALIFORNIA.

CASING-PERFOBATING DEVICE.

Application filed September 29, 192.6. Serial No. 138,485.

This invention relates to a perforator and more particularly to the class of hydraulic perforating tools for use in well casings, tubings, and the like.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device or tool of this character, wherein a well casing, tubing, or like be expeditiously perforated through its wall, without requiring the removal of the casing or tube from a well or other point of operation, the tool or device being of novel form so as to assure ease in its operation and equalization during cutting action.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tool or device of this character, wherein the same can be conveniently and .easily dropped or lowered into a well casing or tubing and subsequently operated by the perforation of such casing or tube, the parts of the tool or device being compact, sturdy and assembled in a simplified manner and is capable of action at any required depth by hydraulic pressure with resultant cutting or perforating of a plurality of holes in a single operation. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tool or device of this character wherein the perforating elements are arranged in a novel manner so as to effect an equalization during the cutting operation, which effects the cutting of a plurality of holes at one time, the tool or device being capable of being positioned at the proper location within the well casing or tubing for perforating the same.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a tool or device of this character, which is extremely simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in its purpose, strong, durable, easy of operation, capable of psoper positioning with respect to the wor and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of th features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, disclosing the perferred embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thro h the tool or device constructed in accoi dance with the invention,

showing the same positioned within a well casing, the latter being shown by dotted lines and the cutters of the device or tool being extended for the perforation of said well casing.

Figure 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 devoid of the well casing.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the tool, disclosed in miniature form showing the parts, that is the cutting elements in normal inactive position.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally, with reference to the dotted lines in Figure 1, a portion of a well casing or tubing, and B the perforating tool or device proper. The perforator tool or device proper comprises a cylindrical body or shell forming a combined piston cylinder and cage 5, in which is mounted the perforating and actuating mechanisms of the tool or device as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The body or shell 5 at opposite ends is externally threaded at 10, to detachably connect therewith heads 6 and 7, respectively. the latter being the bottom cap and the former the top cap. The top head 6 is formed with a central perforated boss 8 into which is threaded the lower end of a pipe 9, through which is delivered from any suitable source the fluid for operating the tool or device..

Arranged within the upper portion of the body or shell 5 is a reciprocatingly movable piston head 11 peripherally grooved or channeled for the mounting therein of high pressure piston rings or packing rings 12 adapted to play upon the inner surface of the body or shell to form a-fiuid-tight joint between said piston head 11 and the latter. Mounted centrally within the piston head 11 is the upper threaded end portion 13 of a punch or cutter carrying mandrel 14, the same being of the required length and has its opposite end portion centrally bored at 15 to provide a guide socket in which is received a guide pin 16 centrally located in the lower portion of the body or shell 5 and having its lower end tapped or anchored at 17 centrally in the bottomhead or cap 7.

It will be apparent from Figure 1 of the drawing that the mandrel 14: is telescoped over the pin 16 which is centrally anchored in the body or shell to guide the piston head 11 in its reciprocatory movement within the latter. The bored end portion 15 of the mandrel 14 works through a packing gland 18 constructed and arranged centrally of a protective disc or division member 19 arranged within the body or shell 5 a (115- tance above the bottom head or cap 7 and supported upon an annular shoulder 20 formed in the interior wall of said body or shell 5. This disc or member 19 prevents sediment sand or other foreign matter from passing downwardly within the body or shell 5 into the lower end thereof which would result in the working of such sediment or foreign matter into the guide socket 15 of the mandrel 14 and thus retard or damage 7 the tool or device in the working of the same.

Mounted on the mandrel 14 are superposed tipple armed spiders '21 and 22, respectively, the furcated arms 23 of which are staggered relative to each other for the purpose of equalization in the punching or cutting operation of the tool or device. The spiders 21 and 22 are made fast upon the mandrel 14 in any desirable manner and uppermost s ider 21 abuts an annular shoulder or ange 24 formed on said mandrel next to the threaded end 13 connected with the piston head 11. In this manner the possibility of upward displacement of the spiders 21 and 22' upon the mandrel 14 is entirely eliminated.

Swingmgly mounted in the furcated arms 23 of the spiders 21 and 22 through the medium of transverse pivots 25 are cutters or perforating members forming blades 26, each havin a tapering end 27 with an upward angufar cutting edge 28. The blades 26 work through slots or ways 29 formed in the shell or body 5 at the proper point relative to the position of said blades 26, these slots or ways 29 being of the required length to permit the said blades 26 to move outwardly and inwardly relative to the shell or bod 5 when the tool is in action.

Tb eliminate the wearing away or the frac ture of the body or shell 5 at the lower ends of the slots or ways 29 provided therein, are carbonized steel reinforcement bridge pieces or saddles 30, each being permanently ositioned over the lower end edges of eac of said slots or ways 29 and the blades 26 for the respective slots play directly thereon during the projecting movement of such blades.

Formed in the shell or body 5 at the point of the completed downward stroke of the piston head 11 therein are escape holes or perforations 31 to permit the escape or discharge of the pressure fluid from within the shell or body 5 above the piston, when the cutting blades 26 have reached their complete stroke for perforating the well casing or tubing A, so t at in this manner the pressure fluid actuating the piston head 11 will be instantly released from the cylinder or shell5, when the actuator for the cutters or punches has completed its stroke and thereby freeing the tool from excessive strain or the possibility of the body or shell 5 becoming broken or distorted from excess pressure beyond normal required in the operation of the tool or device.

Surrounding the guide pin 16 is a coiled expansion spring 32 which is designed to be seated upon the bottom head or cap 7 and the lower end of the mandrel 14 as is clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, so that on the complete down stroke of the piston head 11 in the body or shell 5, the spring 32 becomes active to retrieve said piston head 11 or move the same upwardly within its cylinder constituted by the upper portion of the body or shell 5. On downward movement of t e piston head 11 any fluid contained in the body or shell 5 is emitted or discharged through the slots or ways 29 for the blades 26.

It is to be understood that the fluid conductor pipe 9 may be of any required len h,

so that the tool or device can be lowere' to the required depth within a well casing or tubing A at the point where it is desired to perforate or punch the same. The blades 26 are fitted with stop pin 33 which are prop-' erly located to limit the inward movement of the blades when lifted by the mandrel 14, so as to prevent the blades wardly into the body or shell 5 through the slots or ways 29 under the upward stroke of the piston head 11 within said body or shell.

In the operation of the tool or device the same is lowered within the well casing or tubing A the desired de th to reach the point of Where it is to be perforated or punched and thereafter the pressure fluid from its source of supply is furnished through the pipe 9 into the cylinder for the piston head 11, it being understood, of course, that the latter is at the uppermost point of its stroke. This fluid entering the cylinder forces the pistonhead 11 downwardly and the blades 26 which are in normally retracted position within the shell or body 5 are moved outwardly through the slots or ways 29 in the latter from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. This outward movement of the blades 26 causes the tapered ends 27 to puncture the well casing or tubing A and the cutting edges 28 will slit the said well casing or tubing A for the perforation of the same. The instant the piston head 11 reaches its completed lowerlng stroke the pressure fluid is cut oil and that remaining within. this cylinder will escape throu h the ports or holes 31 in the body or shelf 5 and the spring 32 instantly becomes active to retrieve or force the pisfrom passing inton upwardly to its normal completed upward stroke within the body or shell 5 of the tool or device. This upward movement of the piston head 11 retracts or draws in the blades 26 through the slots or ways 29 in said body or shell as will be apparent.

What I claim is 1. In a tool of the character described, a body, a piston reciprooatingly movable Within the body, caps on opposite ends of the body, a fluid supply means opening through one of the caps to effect movement of the piston, a mandrel carried by the piston, means on nected with the mandrel to guide the same in its movement, superposed multi-arm spiders carried on the mandrel, and perforating blades pivotally connected with the arms of the spiders and working through the body.

2. In a tool of the character described, a body, a piston reciprocatingly movable within the body, caps on opposite ends of the body, a fluid supply means opening through one of the caps to effect movement of the piston, a mandrel carried by the piston, means on the other cap and slidably connected with the mandrel to guide the same in its movement, superposed multi-arm spiders carried on the mandrel, perforating blades pivotally connected with the arms of the spiders and Working through the body,

and coiled expanslon means Working against the mandrel to automatically shift the same to retract the perforating blades when fluid pressure has been released upon the piston.

3. In a tool of the character described, a body, a piston reciprocatingly movable within the body, caps on opposite ends of the body, a fluid supply means opening through one of the caps to effect movement of the piston, a mandrel carried by the piston, means on the other cap and slidably connected with the mandrel to guide the same in its movement, superposed multi-arm spiders carried on the mandrel, perforating the other cap and slidably conblades pivotally connected with the arms of the spiders and working through the body, and coiled expansion means working against the mandrel to automatically shift the same to retract the perforating blades when fluid pressure has been released upon the piston, the body being formed with escape openings located at the point of the completed down stroke of the piston.

4. In a tool of the character described, a cylindrical body, a piston reci rocatingly movable within the body, remova le caps on opposite ends of the body, a fluid supply means opening through one of the caps to effect movement of the piston, a mandrel carried by the piston, means on the other cap and slidably connected with the mandrel to guide the same in its movement, superposed multi-arm spiders carried on'the mandrel, perforating blades pivotally connected with the arms of the spiders and working through the body, coiled expansion means working against the mandrel to automatically shift the same to retract the perforating blades when fluid pressure has been released upon the piston, the body being formed with escape openings located at the point of the completed down stroke of the piston, and reinforcing saddles carried by the body and coacting with the perforating blades to prevent the fracture of the body by the said blades when active.

5. Ina tool of the character described, a

body, a. piston reciprocatingly movable Within the body, a fluid supply means opening through one end of the. body to effect movement of the piston, a mandrel carried b the piston, means at the other end of the body slidably connected with the mandrel to guide the same in its movement, and perforating blades pivotally connected with the mandrel and working through the body.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

THEODORE H. DARLING. 

